Hello, my project is a "removable" B737NG half (captain side) cockpit!

[MassimoA]

Hi everybody,
I really like this site and this blog,
when one startes the project for a home-cockpit has a huge deal of things to decide,
to buy, to build, to configure, and every information, idea, suggestion is really important
and sometime essential to choose a way or another.

My name is Massimo, I live near Venice (Italy)
and I am a flightsimmer since 1982 or something, apple II, 2 to 4 fps for just some green lines
over a black background.... but the lines were the roads, and the mountains, and the sea shore...
I can't remember the resolution, but it was less then 320x200; I also created some airplane
models with gmax, programming gauges (3D) and air files, and also sceneries.

I always dreamed to try a flight simulator, but it was just a dream and nothing else.

Then, after so many years, I suddendly understood that a REAL cockpit was no longer out
of question, as it had always been for me.
New products (I mean really new, produced in the last year or months) lowering costs, new
software and hardware interfaces, and... a lot of people doing it, and sharing their solutions
with others via internet...
So I decided to start my project, but I decided also that my room would not become a
cockpit itself... at least NOT PERMANENTLY.
The first decision was then to design a cockpit that could be easily removed, and stored
in a wardrobe or closet or behind something else, leaving the room as it was before.
That led me to a whole bunch of measurements and hypothesis, but at the end I saw that
it was possible, or hopefully possible...

1) A full 2 seat cockpit was out of question, being far too big (and expensive) and not very useful for me,
so I decided to design only the captain side of the cockpit.

2) The MIP will be stored in a closet, and will be inserted on the table sliding through 2 rectangular guide-holes,
the all electronics will be connected plugging a USB hub and VGA or HDMI cables, and power supply

3) The throttles and pedestal will be stored behind the cabinet in a corner

4) I will use 2 or 3 monitor 24" (I bought a second one identical to the one I normally use with my PC)

5) The overhead will be hanged to a small roof with four foldable legs; once retracted the structure will
be a flat panel storable in some way (the overhead will be the last part of my project).

So my idea is to develop something realistic (same size, shape and functionality of real 737) but to
maintain the room for other uses - unfortunately I don't have a room that I can dedicate only to the simulator,
and that stopped me for many years.

I would like to share my project with other simmers that are hesitating for the same reason to buid their HC,
or that have found interesting solutions for this.
I will post drawing and photos and other material if interesting for other people.

Best wishes and good simming to everybody.

Massimo

[lenne]

Nice to have you onboard.Really intresting project your about to start.
You wont by any chance work with cnc machines?

All best/Lenne

[MassimoA]

Hi Lenne, yes, a CNC router would be definitively the top! But at the moment I am going to buy from Hispapanels (I am waiting for the first group of panels to be delivered, hope today) at least for the MIP. I bought MCP from Opencockpits (V3) and I am fully satisfied with it, fully backlighted and perfectly working with default 737 and all default airplanes with SIOC. I made a search for an affordable CNC (I mean around 1000 euros) but is difficult to take a decision or even understand all the things needed (software, interfaces, tools) and as I wrote, I have a critical lack of space. CNC would be perfect for overhead - I bought Pokeys 56E and I got it working well with led expansion board and custom switches, when I will have the panels I will also test rotary encoders and the motor for flaps gauge; so I think that I can make a completely working overhead by myself, saving a lot of euros (probably the cost of the CNC) if I only could engrave some translucent panels to obtain the backlighted subpanels. But I really don't know where to start, so any suggestion or advice will be wellcome, and I also have to find a solution for the space required by an adequate CNC table. For the moment I use a Black & Decker reciprocating sew, a Worx multitool and a drill, but of course I cannot engrave panels, not to speak of text engraving! I will post some pic as soon as the MIP will be at a decent level. Thank you and all the best, Massimo